覓 meaning and stroke order
To seek; to search
How to write 覓, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 覓
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (literary) to seek
- to find
How 覓 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To search for something with eyes 見 and hands 爫.
Radical: 見 (to see), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 覓
A hand 爫 on top reaches out while the eye 見 (jiàn, to see) below looks around. Searching with your hands and your eyes together is what 覓 (mì) means: to seek.
覓 is a literary word, so it mostly appears in set words and written Chinese rather than casual speech. You will see it in 寻觅 (xúnmì, to look for) and 觅食 (mìshí, to forage). Example: 鸟儿在树下觅食。(Niǎor zài shù xià mìshí.) The birds are looking for food under the tree.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 覓 with 現 or 視, because all three contain 見. In 覓, 見 sits under the claw-like hand 爫, not beside another component. Also keep the fourth tone in mì. Do not say mí, which sounds like 迷 (mí, to be lost).
Common words with 覓
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 覓
How many strokes are in 覓?
覓 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 覓 mean?
覓 (mì) means to seek; to search. A common word with it is 寻觅 (xúnmì), meaning "to look for".
How do you pronounce 覓?
覓 is pronounced mì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 覓?
The radical of 覓 is 見, which carries the idea of "to see". Dictionaries list 覓 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 覓?
覓 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 觅, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Can I use 觅 instead of 找 in everyday conversation?
Usually not. 找 (zhǎo) is the normal spoken word for looking for something. 觅 sounds literary or poetic, so it fits writing, set phrases like 寻觅, and descriptions of animals foraging.
What is the difference between 覓 and 觅?
They are the same character. 覓 is written with the full component 見, and 觅 uses the simplified 见. Mainland China uses 觅, and the meaning and pronunciation mì do not change.